As osteoarthritis progresses, it can harm various parts of the joint, including cartilage, tendons, ligaments, synovium, bone, and the meniscus in the knee. This damage leads to pain, swelling, and reduced joint motion.
Here, we will cover some effective OA treatment options you can consider to relieve pain and discomfort.
What is the Treatment of Osteoarthritis?
Treating osteoarthritis involves taking care of yourself and getting osteoarthritis therapies. In some cases, medication, physiotherapy, and surgery can ease pain and keep joints moving.
One cannot reverse osteoarthritis, but treatments like OA knee treatment aim to reduce pain and improve mobility. Let’s look at some treatment alternatives.
- Medications
- Acetaminophen: Helps with mild to moderate pain but must be taken within recommended limits.
- NSAIDs: You can opt for over-the-counter medicines (like Naproxen Sodium and Ibuprofen) or stronger prescription versions; one can also apply gels topically for fewer side effects.
- Duloxetine: One can go for an antidepressant approved for chronic pain, including osteoarthritis.
- Therapy
- Physical Therapy: Exercises to strengthen muscles, enhance flexibility and alleviate pain.
- Occupational Therapy: This involves strategies for daily tasks without stressing painful joints.
- TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation): It involves low-voltage electrical current for short-term pain relief in hip and knee osteoarthritis.
- Surgical and Other Procedures
- Cortisone Injections: Corticosteroids provide temporary pain relief, but their usage remains limited due to potential joint damage.
- Lubrication Injections: Hyaluronic acid injections offer cushioning in the knee.
- Realigning Bones: Surgeons consider osteotomy for balancing weight distribution in a damaged knee.
- Joint Replacement: Surgery replaces damaged joint surfaces with plastic and metal components. But this comes with potential risks and long-term concerns.
Self-care is important too for treating osteoarthritis, like doing low-impact exercise and losing weight.
Conclusion
Consult your doctor and choose osteoarthritis therapies that best suit your condition. Osteoarthritis is a severe clinical condition, and joint inactivity due to pain may result in muscle weakness, increasing stress on the joint. Over time, the joint may even lose its normal shape, develop bone spurs, and experience further damage as bits of bone or cartilage break off. So, it is essential to get the right OA treatment. With the support of a comprehensive health insurance plan, you can access advanced treatments and therapies, ensuring better management of osteoarthritis and improved mobility.